Phones and the Congo

Last updated: 6 June 2008

Mobiles - Funding conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Coltan is a valuable and strategic mineral that is used in the production of mobile phones.

A surge in demand for coltan between 1999-2000 led companies to source the mineral from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The high price of coltan on the global market was used to fund various parties involved in the country’s raging civil war.

The coltan rush in the DRC involved the use of forced labour and the destruction of forest habitat.

The Pulitzer Center’s film Congo's Bloody Coltan is a quick glimpse at coltan's role in Congo's civil war.

There is cautious optimism for peace in the DRC with the signing of recent peace agreements. However, in this delicate post-conflict phase, as violence continues to erupt on occasion, it is appropriate that mobile phone companies have clear policies in relation to sourcing coltan from the DRC.

Nokia, Apple, Motorola and Samsung are the only companies to have such policies.

It should be noted that company boycotts on DRC coltan may not be the long-term solution.

The country is rich in mineral wealth and boycotts of one mineral, simply mean warring factions turn their attention to other commodities such as gold, copper or tin to fund their conflict operations.

As part of post-conflict reconstruction efforts in the DRC, mobile phone companies should aim to positively influence the sustainable development of the mining sector in relation to labour rights and environmental management systems.

Also read

• CI ' report on the hidden cost of mobile phones
• The DanWatch report -  Bad Connections

Bad Connections: How your mobile phone is linked to abuse, fraud and unfair mining practices in DR Congo

Following CI’s recent feature on the questionable ethics of the mobile phone industry, CI’s corporate watchdog partner DanWatch have revealed cobalt mines in DR Congo are suppling Chinese companies that produce batteries for Samsung, LG, Motorola and Nokia. The investigation, which demonstrates the ease with which such commodity chains can be traced, flies in the face of phone company claims to not knowingly source from the war-ravaged region.